It is with great sadness that I see Rod Hamilton (along with all Minnesota House Republicans) sign his name to the House version of the legacy bill. You claim to be a supporter of conservation and sportsmen. Your signature on this bill proves undisputably the opposite. The four different poison pills contained in this bill, all designed to end public land acquisitions, are so anti-hunting and anti-conservation that it literally screams the controlling party's complete and total disdain for a very large part of their constituency — that being the hunting and fishing community.

There has never been a time in my adult life where there is so much arrogance by one political party that seems intent on destroying everything the conservation community has worked so hard for over the past five decades. My efforts for the past 31 years on behalf of Pheasants Forever have resulted in access to public hunting lands for all people, regardless of their economic status. With the Republican support for a no-net gain policy, we could see this effort shut down completely in Minnesota. What, sir, is next? Will you and your party start the systematic sale of these lands until no more of them exist in our state? I don’t think even you can say that this would never happen with the current direction we are headed.

We have a large budget surplus, and still you are cutting the budget of the DNR and not allowing the conservation community to pay more to manage and protect our natural resources through a license fee increase. In addition, the diversion of millions of dollars from the Clean Water Fund to pay Soil and Water Conservation Districts’ operations budgets, which have historically been paid for from the general fund, shows that it’s obvious that the rule of law and the Minnesota constitutional amendment — which prohibits supplanting — means nothing to the Minnesota House Republican representatives.

If you are a sportsman, there is nothing left to do but despair. Hopefully the governor will veto your entire effort and give you time to come back to your senses next year.

Tough words from a rural guy.

Photo: Mr. Rooster has to walk through more than a snow job created by the Minnesota House Majority Caucus.

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. . . An existing lead shot ban in waterfowl hunting was legislated by state lawmakers in 1987 but the DNR wanted to expand that ban unilaterally, he said. And if the lead shot ban were to come before the Legislature, it would be voted down, he said.

"I don't think there's any support for it," he said. "I don't think even a lot of (DFL legislators) would be interested in that, if it came down to a vote."

"Lead is a naturally occurring mineral, it's in the soil, it's mined just like anything else," he added later.

The DNR's proposed non-toxic shot rule would expand the ban to all small-game hunting, but it would count only for shotgun shells with shot in them, not single-projectile loads—so rifle bullets and shotgun slugs could still be made of lead. It would also be limited to Minnesota wildlife management lands from Highway 210 in Brainerd to the southern border.

Note how Heintzeman frames the issue as a complete ban on lead shot, but the proposed restrictions are limited to Minnesota wildlife management lands in part of the state. Heintzeman fears the talking point, but not the well-known problems of lead poisoning. Kayser continues:

Animals like eagles and loons can be poisoned if they ingest lead shot, the DNR said.

[Senator Carrie] Ruud[, R-Breezy Point] also had strong words for her Senate colleagues regarding a provision that would bar the Department of Natural Resources from issuing new rules restricting lead shot. Ruud chairs the Senate's environmental policy committee, and the lead shot bill never was run through her committee to receive scrutiny and discussion in a hearing. She said the "trickery" of fellow senators resulted in an end run around her committee.

"I think that's very dishonest," she said.

Another part of the bill appropriates $20,000 for a study on the effects of lead shot on wildlife that live in state lands. While Ruud supported the study—she said the existing data on lead shot is outdated—she opposed the Legislature banning the DNR from banning lead shot before the study was implemented.

Here are the members of the conference committee for HF888/SF0723. Click through on the hot links and let the members know your thoughts about lead policy. Be civil--no cussing or spitting on the floor:

If you need motivation to contact them, here's a short Youtube of an eagle afflicted with lead poisoning, via the Raptor Center's page on Lead Poisoning which notes "For the past 40 years lead exposure and lead poisoning have been major health issues for bald eagles received by or admitted to our clinic::

Let's hope that the guys will listen to the woman on the committee, and follow her lead on this issue. Quote the Brainerd Dispatch article--which frames the differences nicely--and mention the bills by name.

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Jan 23, 2017

On the eve of a Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) update from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Board of Animal Health in the House Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee at 8:15 Tuesday morning, a press release from the Minnesota (DNR) discloses that one additional case of Chronic Wasting Disease has been discovered as part of a special hunt in Southeastern Minnesota.

The update to the committee can be watched via House livestreaming on HTV2.

A special chronic wasting disease 16-day deer hunt in southeastern Minnesota concluded Jan. 15 with one additional case of the disease found among hundreds tested. Now, landowner shooting permits take effect in an attempt to further lower the deer population in the area and stop the disease from spreading.

The latest case of the CWD-infected deer was an adult female, taken near Preston very close to four other positive animals, providing another piece of evidence that suggests the disease is localized. This brings the number of CWD positive wild deer in southeastern Minnesota to six; results are still pending on more than 100 samples.

“The special hunt was designed to assess prevalence across the CWD zone, begin the process of lowering deer densities in the area, and remove infected animals from the population,” said Lou Cornicelli, DNR wildlife research manager.

In total, 873 deer were taken during the special hunt. Of those, 600 adults were submitted for CWD testing. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources staff also have been opportunistically sampling vehicle-killed deer, deer found dead and heads hunters brought in from the end of the regular deer seasons. Overall, 634 CWD samples have been collected since Dec. 31, and results are still pending for 114 samples.

Of the six wild deer that tested positive for CWD, none were described as behaving abnormally, which may be further indication that the infection is recent, Cornicelli said. If the infection is recent, early and aggressive action is the best way to eliminate the infection, he said.

“The special hunt really illustrated how important it is to respond immediately to a wildlife health threat. Had we taken a more passive approach, the CWD positive deer would have survived another year and continued to infect healthy deer,” he said.

“Hunter cooperation was very good and although most hunters are disappointed that CWD was discovered, they recognize the importance of not allowing CWD to become established in Minnesota,” Cornicelli said.. . .

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources explained in a December news release that CWD is a prion disorder that's always fatal to deer:

CWD is a disease of deer and elk and is caused by an abnormally shaped protein, a prion, which can damage brain and nerve tissue. The disease is most likely transmitted when infected deer and elk shed prions in saliva, feces, urine, and other fluids or tissues. There are no known treatments or vaccines and the disease is always fatal. There is no danger to other animal species and CWD is not known to affect humans, though consuming infected meat is not advised.

SEMN landowner special permits issued

The latest press release from the DNR explains the next steps:

So far, almost 300 landowner shooting permits have been issued. These permits allow landowners to remove deer from their property.

“We work individually with landowners, go through the permit conditions and make arrangements for testing the deer they harvest,” Cornicelli said. “DNR staff believe these permits will provide additional information regarding the extent of CWD in the area.”

The DNR also has been working directly with landowners in and around the properties where the positive deer were taken. Landowner permits expire Sunday, Feb. 12. DNR staff will monitor the distribution and number of deer taken under landowner shooting permits and then make a decision regarding using the USDA to remove additional deer.

“The information we have right now points to a disease cluster, so we may look to the USDA to remove additional deer in that area,” Cornicelli said.

If additional infected deer are discovered during the landowner shooting phase, those positive results will be posted on the DNR’s website on the results page. Once landowner shooting concludes, the DNR will issue a news release with final results and detail the next steps in the disease management process.

CWD is a fatal brain disease to deer, elk and moose but is not known to affect human health. Prior to the six recent discoveries, the only other wild deer with the disease found in Minnesota was harvested near Pine Island in 2010.

The DNR responds to and manages CWD in wild deer, while the Minnesota Board of Animal Health regulates farmed deer. The Board of Animal Health shares information with the DNR and works with the USDA as it investigates CWD cases in captive deer.

For more information . . . visit the DNR’s CWD webpage. With the rapid pace that information is generated, people are strongly encouraged to keep checking the DNR’s CWD webpage for information.

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Dec 30, 2016

On the eve of a special deer hunt to curb Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a limited zone in Southeastern Minnesota, there's more bad news for whitetails, hunters and deer farmers. More CWD-positive deer have been identified in Crow Wing County--and another in Southeastern Minnesota near the first two cases.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources explains in a Friday news release that CWD is a prion disorder that's always fatal to deer:

CWD is a disease of deer and elk and is caused by an abnormally shaped protein, a prion, which can damage brain and nerve tissue. The disease is most likely transmitted when infected deer and elk shed prions in saliva, feces, urine, and other fluids or tissues. There are no known treatments or vaccines and the disease is always fatal. There is no danger to other animal species and CWD is not known to affect humans, though consuming infected meat is not advised.

The details from the news release:

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been identified in a farmed deer herd in Crow Wing County near Merrifield. The herd of 33 mule deer and 100 white-tailed deer is registered with the Board of Animal Health. Two, two-year-old female deer were slaughtered on the farm and both tested positive for CWD. The deer showed no clinical signs of illness.

The Board of Animal Health requires CWD testing of all farmed deer or elk that die or are slaughtered and are more than 12 months of age. Routine tissue samples were collected at slaughter from the CWD infected deer. Those samples were tested at the University of Minnesota’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and then forwarded to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa for official confirmation. Those tests confirmed CWD.

“The affected herd has been quarantined,” said Dr. Paul Anderson, assistant director at the Board of Animal Health. “At this point, our priority is making sure no deer leave or enter the farm while we work with the owner to determine the best course of action for the herd. We’re also working closely with the Department of Natural Resources and the United States Department of Agriculture as we develop plans.”

“We hope the full extent of the infection is evaluated soon so overall disease prevalence can be determined for the remaining animals,” said Dr. Lou Cornicelli, wildlife research manager for the DNR. “A full accounting of on-farm and movements of farmed animals will help inform DNR’s overall response to the discovery.”

People who hunt near the infected farm should prepare for CWD surveillance during the 2017 deer hunting season. The DNR’s CWD response plan, which establishes general procedures for wild deer surveillance if CWD is detected in a farmed deer facility, is available online at www.mndnr.gov/cwdplan. . . .

Hunters are now just days away from a special deer hunt to help stop the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease.

Tuesday, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced that a third deer was found infected with CWD. A hunter harvested the deer in mid-November. Around that same time, two other deer were killed that later tested positive for CWD about 4 miles west of Lanesboro. The third deer was killed about 5 miles north of the other two in southeastern Minnesota.

The only other wild deer found in Minnesota with the disease was harvested near Pine Island in 2010.

"It's disappointing but we're still hoping that we're on the front end of this infection," said Lou Cornicelli, DNR wildlife research manager.

Cornicelli said the discovery of the third infected deer will not change the current boundaries of the CWD management zone. However, this latest case will affect the disease control zone for farmed deer and elk.

CWD is a fatal brain disease to deer, elk and moose. It is not known to affect people but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still warns people against eating meat from animals known to have CWD.

Wigdahl also reports that residents in Filmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted and Winona counties will be banned from feeding wild deer. Since the disease is spread through urine, feces and saliva, congregating deer over a common food source spikes the CWD transmission rate when the disorder is present.

This isn't government overreach. CWD in Colorado and Wyoming has reduced the deer populations drastically and it's important to act swiftly to protect the state's deer herd. The DNR calls whitetail deer "one of Minnesota's most ecologically, socially and economically important animals." Explore Minnesota notes that hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans hunt deer each year.

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Dec 16, 2016

With the discovery of chronic wasting disease in two deer shot by hunters in Fillmore County during the whitetail season, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) plans to stage a special hunt from December 31 to January 15. The hunt, which will take 900 adult deer to test for the disease, was the instance for a meeting in Preston on Thursday.

About 800 people crammed into the Fillmore Central High School gym Thursday to hear details from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources on the special deer hunt planned to deal with chronic wasting disease.

Two deer shot near Preston in November were found to be infected with CWD, an always-fatal neurological disorder that is similar to mad-cow disease but isn't known to affect humans.

Robert Lawstuen, who lives about four miles north of Preston, said he attende the meeting to get more details on the DNR's plans for the hunt, which will run from Dec. 31 to Jan. 15. "If it'll help, good," he said of the DNR's plans. "If it's not going to do anything, it's a waste of time. We don't know that yet." . . .

The hunt will reduce the herd in "Deer Permit Area 603, which covers 370 square miles through most of Fillmore County and a small sliver of Olmsted County," by 20 to 25 percent.

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As global temperatures warm, Minnesota residents need to prepare for increases in catastrophic "mega-rains" and a greater spread of tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease, according to a draft environmental report card for the state.

The report card comes from the Environmental Quality Board, a coordinating body for state government agencies on environmental issues. The board will discuss the draft Dec. 21. The final version will provide a foundation for the Minnesota Environmental Congress in February.

The report card is organized around five key areas: water, land, air, energy and climate. Each section uses three metrics to assess how well Minnesota's environment is doing in those areas. It rates their current status as green, yellow and red to correspond with good, OK and poor. And it uses up arrows, flat arrows or down arrows to indicate recent trends.

"We're hoping it's pretty user-friendly. It's designed for a broad audience," Will Seuffert, the EQB's executive director, said Monday.

Bluestem has downloaded the EQB agenda packet for December 21, 2016, since we agree wth Seuffert's assessment about this document being designed for a broader audience and split out the document for our readers.

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Friday’s banquet for the Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener is sold out as Montevideo and the surrounding area welcome Gov. Mark Dayton and his entourage for the pheasant opener for the second time.

Montevideo hosted the inaugural Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener in 2011 and our area is the first to host the event for a second time. . . .

. . . All eyes will be on the community Saturday as it hosts the sixth annual Governor's Pheasant Opener. Gov. Mark Dayton and U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson will be among the elected officials taking to the fields around Montevideo for the start of the state's pheasant season at 9 a.m. Saturday. . . .

Montevideo is looking at the Governor's Pheasant Opener as an opportunity to showcase all that the area has to offer for pheasant hunters and all of those who enjoy outdoor recreation, according to Steinbach.

And in this case too, it provides Montevideo with a national audience. That was one of the benefits the community discovered after hosting the inaugural Governor's Pheasant Opener.

The community saw a "big, reverberating effect'' from the ongoing digital presence the event provided, Steinbach said. News articles, videos and blogs continued to pop up on phone and computer screens whenever anyone searched pheasant hunting in Minnesota.

Over 20 different media outlets, including print, broadcast and online, are expected to be represented at the activities Friday and Saturday, according to Steinbach.

With this opportunity at hand, the number one point the community wants to emphasize this weekend is the availability of public lands for hunters. There are 47,004 acres of public lands open to hunting within a 25-mile radius of Montevideo, thanks to a mix of wildlife management areas, waterfowl production areas, and walk-in access areas. The Lac qui Parle Wildlife Management Area, with over 33,000 acres of the total, has long been a state magnet for pheasant hunters. . . .

As Legacy Chair Dean Urdahl, R-Grove City, points out at the 2:33:18-20 mark on the House's YouTube archive of the floor session that "there are no major changes in funding and projects" from the earlier House bill. True, a compromise had been worked out that allowed the White Earth Nation to run a disputed project, but since the nation offered to pay property taxes on the land, objections to the project were quelled under that compromise.

All that we can imagine is that Miller experienced an epiphany in that last split second, jumping into the anti-Legacy Act camp, agreeing with Steve Green, R-Fosston, that--despite the expressed wishes of the citizens of Minnesota, who voted in 2006 to fund projects that would protect, enhance and restore wildlife habitat--that there's too much publicly owned land.This is the only objection against the bill that's raised in debate by a lawmaker who voted against it.

Never mind, as Tony Cornish, R-Vernon Center, pointed out, that it's open to hunters and other members of the public. And that the public voted for this.

Miller frequently gripes about how--in Miller's mind at least--Governor Dayton hates the region of the state in which House District 17A is located. And yet the Governor has actively promoted hunting opportunities in the area.

Indeed, the Department of Natural Resources is touting the opening of a locally funded shooting range--the Governor and agency head Tom Landwehr are likely there as we type this--in a press release that promotes the region:

The dedication is part of the 2016 Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener. Gov. Dayton leads the weekend festivities, which highlight the many hunting, recreational, travel and local opportunities the Montevideo area has to offer visitors. More information and updates on the event can be found at www.mngpho2016.com. Explore Minnesota and the DNR are assisting the Montevideo Area Chamber of Commerce in planning the event.

Montevideo has a population of 5,500 and is located 130 miles west of the Twin Cities at the intersections of U.S. highways 212 and 59, and Minnesota Highway 7. The city actively promotes hunting and outdoor recreation. Within 25 miles of Montevideo, there are 25 Walk-In Access areas totaling 3,335 acres, 16 Waterfowl Production Areas totaling 4,366 acres and 76 WMAs totaling 47,004 acres. All are open to public hunting.

Why did Representative Miller vote against the interests of his district?

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An invitation will be on its way to Gov. Mark Dayton to tour the Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton.

Rep. Tim Miller, R-Prinsburg, is asking the governor to tour the shuttered prison after hearing recent news reports that the governor is opposed to purchasing the facility.

Miller said he is particularly concerned about a statement attributed to the governor in news reports in March. Dayton expressed concerns at the time that the privately owned prison needed rehabilitation.

Bluestem thinks it's encouraging that Representative Miller has noticed that Dayton isn't interested in purchasing the prison and hasn't been since his chief of staff met with CCA lobbyist(s) at their request sometime before the March 23 press conference.

Miller had nearly the whole session to bring up his objections to the governor's office, but waits until now to run to the West Central Tribune with his concerns. You'd think he'd get this work done during the session, but we suppose that's too old school for Miller and the rest of his caucus.

But Miller still told the public that some deal was in the works throughout the summer. After all, back at the beginning of July, the first-term Prinsburg Republican lawmaker was telling Appleton residents that a $99 million offer to sell was on the table.

Miller said the opposition continued to ignore the fact that the corporation had offered the state an option to purchase or lease to own, and that the state would have operated the prison with union employees.

Corrections Corporation of America had offered to lease the facility for $6 million to $8 million a year, and to sell it for $99 million. The lease payments could be used toward the purchase price, according to Miller.

Appleton attorney Brian Wojtalewicz questioned the $99 million purchase price when Corrections Corporation of America is paying property taxes based on a $15 million value. Miller said that's the offer the corporation put on the table. Negotiations between the state and the company are not in the Legislature's hands.

Miller said he is hoping Gov. Dayton will take advantage of either of two upcoming visits to the area to tour the facility. The governor be in the Watson and Montevideo area for the Governor's Pheasant Opener on Oct. 15. The governor is also visiting all 87 counties in coming months.

What other needs that the legislature didn't get around to resolving during the session does the King of Minnesota want to introduce into the governor's calendar?

Dayton's press secretary, Sam Fettig, said Friday that the governor's focus, along with Department of Corrections Commissioner Tom Roy, has been "to resolve our prison overcrowding with existing facilities, but it is a strategy which can be reviewed by the next Legislature."

Dawdling over approving untested blaze pink for deer hunters, fretting about where transgender people pee and other such time-suckers during session has its consequences.

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May 26, 2016

What if the Office of the Legislative Auditor released a report and few members of the Legislative Audit Commission bothered to show up? What if the report was prompted by concerns about the state's deer herd?

This is the story of that report, the release of which seemed to make lawmakers on the committee as scarce and wary as trophy bucks on the day after the deer season opener.

Although it's become common for members of the Minnesota legislature to try to mobilize the Office of the Legislative Auditor to review the fruit of new legislation, the twelve member Legislative Audit Commission is tasked with select topics:

The Legislative Audit Commission (LAC) is a bi-partisan commission with 6 members from the House of Representatives and 6 from the Senate, equally divided between the majority and minority parties. Membership is governed by Minnesota Statutes, Section 3.97, subd. 2. The commission appoints the Legislative Auditor and selects topics for the Program Evaluation Division to review. It also periodically holds hearings to review audit and evaluation reports. The commission chair rotates every two years between the House and the Senate.

Deer hunting groups that have been critical of the department’s management of the herd called for the audit last year. The state’s harvest has plummeted from a high of about 290,000 deer in 2003 to around 139,000 in 2014. The number of deer killed by hunters bumped up slightly last year to nearly 160,000. The state has around 500,000 deer hunters and their frustration has grown in recent years as many have left the woods with no venison for their dinner tables.

But deer hunters--and landowners--aren't the only "stakeholders" in this game. Subcommittee Chair Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL-S. St. Paul pointed out in a statement:

- Today, the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor released the program evaluation of DNR's deer population management. The Legislative Audit Commission Evaluation Subcommittee convened today to discuss the report. Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL- South Saint Paul), the lone legislator to participate for most of the meeting, received the report, asked several questions of the Auditor and the DNR and released the following statement:

“The issue of deer population management is not exclusively for hunters, nor landowners, but for all Minnesotans. According to the Public Trust Doctrine, ‘under federal law, states must manage wildlife for the common use and benefit of the public’. This thorough report should be the read and considered not just by the usual stakeholders, but the public for whom our wildlife is entrusted.”

Rep. Hansen also noted the presence of the DNR Commissioner Tom Landwher in responding to the report was important in taking the audit recommendations seriously. Hansen encouraged a public process in responding to the report recommendations.

The Office of the Legislative Auditor made deer management recommendations to the OLA Commission Evaluation Subcommittee: "We found that aspects of the Department of Natural Resources’ management of deer populations in recent years were commendable and reflected local stakeholders’ interests. However, the department does not have a formal plan that prioritizes DNR resources, goals, and objectives for managing deer statewide. We recommend that the department improve its information for monitoring deer populations and setting deer population goals.”

Yes--that's right. While there was popular interest in having the audit done, lawmakers seemed indifferent--a response far different from the politically charged release of the IRRRB audit two months ago.

Representative Hansen told Bluestem that Senator Kiffmeyer eventually showed up as well. We are happy that some of the commission want to do their work.

Bluestem looked for the audio or video of the commission meeting, but we have been unable to find it posted online. We'll be calling those in charge of keeping these archives to obtain the recording, whatever form it may be in. Most of the coverage of the report centers on reactions to the document, rather than the commission meeting itself.

That’s a central recommendation of the state auditor’s office, which on Thursday released a report that both praised the state’s deer population management efforts and pointed out ways the Department of Natural Resources needs to do a better job.

The report was eagerly awaited by many of the state’s roughly 500,000 deer hunters, who have found themselves increasingly less likely to take home a deer as deer populations fell for several years and hunting regulations tightened as a result. Several hunting groups, as well as a chorus of state lawmakers, have leveled criticisms against the DNR ranging from a lack of transparency to improperly estimating deer populations.

The auditor’s report substantiated some of that criticism, albeit in gentler terms, but also praised the agency for improvements to its deer population modeling system, a technical statistical model. . . .

Minnesota hunters will have more fashion choices and still be able to use lead ammunition on many public lands if two bills approved Wednesday by the House become law.

Lawmakers backed blaze pink as an alternative to the blaze orange safety color hunters now wear. They also voted to stop the state Department of Natural Resources from banning the use of lead ammo in select wildlife management areas.

The GOP-controlled House already voted on both measures Monday night as part of broader legislation related to fish and game. But with the companion bill in the Democratic-led Senate possibly stalled, the House voted to pass the two measures as independent bills.

Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party members used the legislative redundancy to slam Republicans, with Minority Leader Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, calling it embarrassing.

“You can’t get anything done that actually means something to the people of Minnesota,” Thissen said before being cut off.

State Rep. Tom Hackbarth, R-Cedar, who is chief sponsor of both the hunting-related bills, said he may update his fish and game legislation that passed Monday, meaning lawmakers might see the two issues yet again before the session ends.

Allowing pink hunting garb could make it harder for deer to see hunters stalking them, Hackbarth explained before Monday’s vote. Blaze pink is now allowed as a safety color in Wisconsin, where it was also suggested it might attract more women to hunting, an argument that upset female hunters.

Some DFL lawmakers suggested blaze pink could be unsafe because some of the roughly 8 percent of the male population that is color-blind can’t see it. . . .

Magan mentions members' concerns about color blindness, but fails to report that Hackbarth's change is based on a set of un-peer reviewed and unpublished notes about blaze pink by a Wisconsin prof who didn't study any human subjects, as Representative Barb Yarusso, DFL-Yarusso, pointed out. Her observations were underscored by Rick Hansen, DFL-S. St. Paul, who concurred that the only available notes on the research are "bogus."

Here's the floor debate for the bill, which starts out with some light-hearted goading by Mike Sundin, DFL-Esko, and Danny Schoen, DFL-Cottage Grove, escalating until Clark Johnson, DFL-North Mankato, points out that the House hasn't addressed staffing and safety concerns at the St. Peter Regional Treatment Center, but has time for this.

Good questions. Here's the entire debate, such as it is:

The high point of the debate? The sudden appearance of Rep. Peggy Flanagan's daughter Siobhan on the footage. Flanagan, DFL-St. Louis Park, had tweeted about her daughter's visit to the chamber:

Perhaps the House could take up some other bills that offer real help to families like paid leave, child care, economic equity measures and the like. In the meantime, it's fashion over safety--and getting things done.

Screengrab: The Flanagan women video bomb Rep. Mike Freiberg, DFL-Golden Valley, a color-blind man who tried once again to explain how he can't distinguish blaze pink in the woods or anywhere else.

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One ongoing frustration in following Minnesota's legislative debates over the outdoors is the summoning of the way things are remembered, the way things were, as far as public spending on and policy about the outdoor goes.

The state is changing demographically. How people want to recreate with nature is changing. The outdoors itself is changing, what with climate change and invasive species in the water and land (some of which, like buckthorn, oat crown rust and soybean aphids, create a collective meltdown).

Unfortunately, these changes don't seem to change the discussion at the state legislature. Near the end of the discussion of the Game and Fish Bill, Representative Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul, raised these points:

The Game and Fish Bill always comes near the end of session, and I think we can all agree Minnesotans feel passionately about the outdoors. But one thing I’ve learned over the years here is that not all Minnesotans believe the same thing about the outdoors. When you look at this bill, you’re going to see a lot of things that are based on the way things were, or memory, or where people think people are.

Our state is changing. We’re in the midst of great change. And instead of looking at where we were, and what was, we could be looking at where we should be and where we could be and how we could move together toward that.

Spending time on blaze pink, spending time fighting old battles, spending those old discussions and those old debates, rather than looking at where we could go, even if it is near midnight, where we could go in the future.

At some point, the Legislature will have that discussion about game and fish, at some point Minnesota will engage in that discussion. It's not tonight.

I think we're going to have that discussion out on the campaign trail, we're going to have that conversation with our peers, we're going to have that conversation in our communities. Because nostalgia-based policy making isn’t going to cut it in the future. Looking at where we can go, and what we can do, is where we will need to be.

Mar 18, 2016

During Wednesday's meeting of the Minnesota House's Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee, state representative Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul, offered amendment H2611A26, designed to make sure that land acquired for wildlife habitat preservation in this year's Lessard Sams Outdoor Heritage bill not be planted or otherwise treated with a product that contains a pollinator lethal insecticide, as defined by Minnesota law.

Hansen, who managed a pesticide applicator program at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture before being elected to the House in 2004, holds a B.S. in biology, Upper Iowa University and an M.S, in soil management, Iowa State University. Minority lead on the environment committee, he has emerged as a champion for pollinators. Last month, he published It's time for action on Minnesota's pollinators in the Star Tribune.

Hansen: Thank you, Mr. Chair, just like with a couple of your amendments, I've passed this out of this committee last year, it is saying that land acquired with money in this section, so it's this bill, not previous bills or any future bills, that these [lands] shall not be planted or otherwise treated with a product that contains a pollinator lethal insecticide, and that is one that is on the label that it kills bees and other pollinators, so it is an enforceable choice that te land managers could make, on choosing not to use these insecticide.

I move the ...amendment and encourage its support. I think--I got a copy of the [state] Constitution here and it says that "funds deposited in the Outdoor Heritage Fund maybe spent only to restore, protect and enhance wetlands, prairies, forests and habitat for fish, game and wildlife."

When we talk about these funds we often talk about fish and game and we don't talk about wildlife and the wildlife can be things that you don't hunt or fish for. It can be the small wildlife, the little things, and we need to pay attention to the little things, the things that are at the beginning of the food, because then the things that we hunt may not be there if they don't have anything to eat.

So I think this is a reasonable step on the use of public funds. I think it would help meet the constitutional requirements to protect wildlife, and it's a small step that can be done to protect pollinators with our public resources.

. . .I'd just like to speak against this amendment. While we certainly do have an issue with pollinators, including bees, this is not an appropriate response. There's no scientific proof that this will benefit them in any way and these [pesticides] are very useful tools for agriculture.

Indeed, the artwork at the top of this post is drawn from the presentation at the summit by internationally respected pollinator expert Dr. Marla Spivak, who's been honored by everyone from the MacArthur Foundation to our dear friends at the AgriGrowth Council. Laura Corcoran's charming drawing illustrates the point that foraging areas for bees and other pollinators help them detox and build their immune systems from damage by stressors like parasites, disease and pesticides.

Since Representative Torkelson is listed as having attended the Summit, according to a spreadsheet obtained from the Environmental Initiative, we're not sure how he missed this information.

In a blog post, Better Together for Bees, Greg Bohrer describes the process of small group meetings in which we passed along what we thought were the best ideas around each table. Our first group included a pollinator researcher from the Minnesota Zoo, a biologist from the DNR, a couple of beekeepers, a pesticide activist, and representatives from CHS and Monsanto.

Our top recommendation was "The Hansen Plan" outlined in his commentary, It's time for action on Minnesota's pollinators in the Star Tribune. The report back from the Summit isn't out yet, but it would certainly be helpful for the ongoing committee hearings.

Many species of wild bees, butterflies and other critters that pollinate plants are shrinking toward extinction, and the world needs to do something about it before our food supply suffers, a new United Nations scientific mega-report warns. . . .

One of the biggest problems, especially in the United States, is that giant swaths of farmland are devoted to just one crop, and wildflowers are disappearing, Potts and others said. Wild pollinators especially do well on grasslands, which are usually more than just grass, and 97 percent of Europe's grasslands have disappeared since World War II, Potts said.

There are both general and specific problems with some pesticide use, according to the report.

"Pesticides, particularly insecticides, have been demonstrated to have a broad range of lethal and sub-lethal effects on pollinators in controlled experimental conditions," the report said. But it noted more study is needed on the effects on pollinators in the wild. Herbicides kill off weeds, which are useful for wild pollinators, the report added.

Hansen's proposal is indeed reasonable, removing pollinator-lethal pesticides from one year's worth of Outdoor Heritage Fund wildlife habitat project public lands. It does not ban all pesticides on the public lands, nor does it affect private landowners engaged in agriculture on their property.

Torkelson? We have to wonder if he slept through the morning lectures at the Summit. It's unfortunate that his cry from the heart persuaded his colleagues to reject Hansen's amendment.

Mar 16, 2016

Minnesota House Outdoor Recreation and Mining Committee Tom Hackbarth, R-Cedar, didn't see the last person stroll from the committee hearing room gallery to the table where agency personnel, lobbyists and ordinary citizens had been presenting their views on HF3209, which would prohibit the DNR from adopting rules to further restrict the use of lead shot.

No additional witnesses had come forth when Hackbarth had asked a few minutes earlier, and his attention was focused on remarks opposing the bill by his colleague Jack Considine, DFL-Mankato. Considine's opposition was spirited yet civil, keeping with the tone of entire hearing over the controversial issue.

Hackbarth almost missed Mitch Abramson sitting at the table, but the committee aides at his side drew his attention to the last to testify and Hackbarth asked him to say his piece about the lead shot rulemaking prohibition.

Sporting a t-shirt featuring a green-gilled fright night portrait of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, the St. Paul man didn't get to the business at hand:

Mitch Abramson, St. Paul. Thank you for allowing me to speak.

And just a quick thing. Slippery slope. We've seen it for the last fifty years.

We were told you could keep your doctor and now pretty soon, communist, left-wing fascists (points at the side of the committee where Considine was seated) like we have here, will be saying based on your political position, are you even going to get a cancer treatment?

As we go further down this ---

At this point, Considine interrupted:

Mr. Chair, I resent the name-calling and I would like to have this stop.

Abramson turned to Considine, saying:

Left-wing fascist? Have you seen the Trump rallies?

Abramson rose, Hackbarth thanked him for his testimony, while Considine shot back:

Enjoy yourself

Abramson: I do!

Trump hasn't held a rally in Minnesota. Here's the clip, which will start at the point just before Abramson's peculiar testimony:

A number of testifiers spoke both for and against the bill, which was approved on an 11-3 roll-call vote and referred to the House Government Operations and Elections Policy Committee. There is no Senate companion.

Most agreed lead is harmful, but several supporters of the bill said scientific evidence does not show lead shot harms entire wildlife populations. They also argued the ban would make hunting more expensive, and some thought it could open the door to further regulation of hunting in the future.

Opponents of the bill, several of whom were hunters themselves, said the ban was needed to help limit the impact of a dangerous element from the ecosystem – in the same way lead paint and lead batteries are being removed.

We were unable to find anything online about a Mitch Abramson who lives in St. Paul, but certainly understand why Hackbarth had been asking those testifying to be brief.

Screengrab: Mitch Abramson testifying about something or the other on Wednesday afternoon.

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Jan 22, 2016

A friend passed along a press release for an environmental listening session that Representative Tim Miller (R-Prinsburg) will be holding in Olivia on Thursday, February 4 in the basement of the Renville County Administration Building, 105 S. 5th St., from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

UPDATE: The Renville County SWCD just posted text from an email from Representative Miller that confirms that he's got a preferred sort of constituent for this meeting and an agenda that hasn't been shared in the press release below. There's also mention of the Governor's Water Summit--so Miller's trying to manipulate what he can report there as public opinion in his district.

Here's the text of the email that went out earlier in the week (giving some groups the advantage for notifying their members about the event):

On February 4 at 2:00 pm Chair Denny McNamara and a couple other members of the Environment Committee will be joining me for a listening session in Olivia in the basement of the Renville County admin building. The focus will be the DNR's involvement and actions concerning buffer mapping. However, if there are ANY other concerns, I will be welcoming those as well. This is a key chance to be heard, particularly in light of the Governor's Water Summit February 27, which I will also be attending. [emphasis added]

There will be a media release going out by the end of this week. If you would like a copy let me know. I ask you help me to encourage members of your organization to attend. Invite others as well. It is very important for Ag voices to be heard at this time.

Thank you. Let me know if you have any questions.

Tim Miller

MN House of Representatives 17A

651-296-4228

Miller is trying to stack his own meeting--and doing so in order to shape debate at the Governor's Water Summit. We also have to wonder how many members of the Environment committee can be invited before this becomes on an official House hearing.

“Since taking office, I have received countless phone calls from folks around the area expressing frustration with the DNR, MPCA, and other environmental regulatory agencies,” Backer said. “It is my hope that this listening session will give farmers, local officials, sportsmen, and other concerned citizens the opportunity to speak with Chair McNamara and ensure that their voices are heard.” [end update]

The press release below is a masterpiece of dog whistling to those who want to see environmental protection itself as the problem rather than preserving water quality, soil health and such essentials, since Miller lets folks know that he's been hearing from those " who were concerned about land, water, and wildlife laws and regulations."

Note the construction of that phrase: "land, water, and wildlife" modify "laws and regulations."

Bluestem urges our readers in West Central Minnesota who are concerned about water quality, wildlife habitat, soil health to attend and let Representative Miller and Minnesota House Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee Chairman Denny McNamara.

We also hope that our readers in the audience will live tweet and Facebook the event using the hashtags #mnleg and #mnag.

ST. PAUL – After hearing from numerous constituents who were concerned about land, water, and wildlife laws and regulations, State Representative Tim Miller (R-Prinsburg) announces he will hold an environmental listening session in Olivia on Thursday, February 4 in the basement of the Renville County Administration Building, 105 S. 5th St., from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Also attending will be Minnesota House Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee Chairman Denny McNamara (R-Hastings).

Representative Miller said he invited McNamara to the listening session so he can hear firsthand from area landowners, hunters, and anglers.

“Whether its buffers, groundwater regulations or fish and deer management, I've heard consistently from residents in our area about environmental concerns,” Miller said. “By bringing the chairman of the environment committee to west-central Minnesota, residents can share their views with someone that directly tackles these issues at the State Capitol.”

Miller strongly encourages area residents to attend the listening session and share their thoughts, opinions, and questions about environmental rules and regulations in the State of Minnesota.

Photo: Representative Tim Miller, R-Prinsburg. via Facebook.

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Jan 07, 2016

While media attention has been focused on Thursday's task force meetings to thrash out details for a potential special session of the Minnesota legislature, the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council will meet as well.

On the agenda again? White Earth Nation's proposal for protecting forest wildlife habitat in the Wild Rice River Watershed. A memo online about the agenda item notes:

To provide clarity for staff with regard to the council’s intent, staff asks for council discussion of thefollowing three items:1. Review and discussion of the language variations listed on the back of this page.2. In the December meeting motion, the White Earth Nation and DNR are directed to collaborate to create a special hunting zone for the property. At least one member emphasizes that it would be primary and preemptory to release of grant monies. As such, any land acquisition would be required to occur subsequent to creation of a hunting zone. Is this the intent of the council?3. With #1 in mind, it would seem that continued ownership of the land by the White Earth Nation would also be conditional upon continued successful implementation of the management plan and that failure to do so would result in reversion of ownership of the land from Trust land being held for the White Earth Nation to ownership by the State of Minnesota. Is this the intent of the council?

Although the proposal is regarded as being of very high quality for securing the goal of protecting forest wildlife habitat, the potential ownership of the land by the White Earth Nation of Ojibwe has met with resistance on the part of some Council members.

Dec 16, 2015

The lead Democrat on the Minnesota House Environment and Natural Resource Policy and Finance Committee is sounding a cautiously optimistic note on Governor Dayton's request to the USDA for Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) funding.

I think that if this proceeds, you actually see a great deal of landowner participation. If done well, this can compliment the recently passed buffer law by providing options for willing landowners to enroll more acres. The opposition will come from the same stakeholders who opposed previous CREP initiatives. Stakeholders are different than landowners. CREP keeps the land in private ownership but secures a public benefit in water quality and wildlife. I used to say prevention is cheaper than cleanup; actually prevention is better than cleanup.

If it moves ahead, Dayton's plan would be Minnesota's third attempt at CREP.

The first, in the late 1990s, targeted lands along the Minnesota River watershed and resulted in 100,000 acres permanently protected.

Wildlife advocates, from hunting groups to bird lovers, lauded the plan as a boon for natural habitat.

A second CREP, launched in 2005, sought 125,000 acres in various parts of northwest, southwest and southeastern Minnesota. Amid political controversy over the notion of perpetual easements, "CREP II" was roundly seen as a failure, enrolling roughly 7,000 acres.

In the article, Orrick notes that one of the stakeholders is raising that "political controversy" again:

"Perpetual easements are, well, a very long time," said Dan Busselman, director of public policy for the Minnesota Farm Bureau. "Many times in making decisions of this type relative to your private property, you need to have some flexibility in case you change your mind down the road."

When originally introduced, HF414 was co-authored by Fairmont Republican lawmaker Bob Gunther; in the Minnesota Senate, Assistant Minority Leader Carrie Ruud, R-Breezy Point, joined chief author Bev Scalze, DFL Little Canada, and three other Democrats, in sponsoring the bill.

Dec 03, 2015

We're still listening to the audio of today's Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council's meeting, now posted online here, but we've received word that White Earth Nation's proposal to preserve wildlife habitat along the Wild Rice River has been retained in the Council's recommendation--with an additional requirement.

The DNR and the White Earth Nation will create a special single hunting zone on the property that is based upon the White Earth tribal hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering seasons and limits. In a phone interview with Bluestem earlier this week, White Earth consultant Chris Knopf had mentioned this as an acceptable option for resolving the misgivings some Council members and lawmakers have with the project.

The final vote was 9-3, with state representative Denny McNamara, R-Hastings and state senator Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, as well Chair Bob Anderson, a senate appointee nominated by Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, voting against the motion.

A super-majority of nine votes was required to pass.

We'll have more, as well as the clip of the extended discussion after a bit; we're told that some of the reasons offered against the White Earth proposal are even more bizarre and peculiar than usual.

Dec 02, 2015

The Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council will meet tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. in Room 5 of the State Office Building, with some observers bracing for another round of drama over a request by White Earth Nation (Ojibwe) for a project to protect forest wildlife habitat in the Wild Rice River watershed.

Although considered to be a well-designed project to protect wildlife habitat--one of the constitutional missions of the Council--the ownership of the land by a band of Ojibwe spawned objections. Perhaps the best recent overview of the conflict is by Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson, Money, race, politics tangle northern Minnesota land deal, a dispatch aired just before the October 6th meeting of the Council. During the October meeting, the LSOHC voted to recommend that White Earth Nation receive a grant in the amount of $2,188,000 for this project.

At the November 5 meeting, the project came up again, with many of the same reasons for support and objection. Opponents of the proposal attempted to take advantage of one of the agenda items and remove the Wild Rice River from consideration. The agenda called for a discussion of the progress of draft “accomplishment plans” prepared by applicants whose projects have been recommended for funding. These plans detail what will be achieved through the projects and form the basis of the bill LSOHC staff will prepare and submit to the Legislature in January for the appropriation bill.

Rep. Denny McNamara, R-Hastings, posits that it was premature to review and approve the draft accomplishment plans, noting that inclusion of White Earth Nation’s project is a deal-breaker for him. Other Council members vigorously objected, and the project remains in the Draft Bill in the packet for tomorrow's meeting.

After McNamara insists that there are not enough votes for the package that would be presented to the legislature, council chair and International Falls mayor Bob Anderson supports that claim.

Council member Jane Kingston, a supporter of the White Earth Nation's project raises the question, “Who does not like it, again?” That question leads to a discussion of the vote taken at the October meeting. Sue Olson, a hard-nosed corporate lawyer who supports the project, notes that a roll call vote was taken when the Council recommended that White Earth Nation’s project receive funding

McNamara reminds his Council peers that he was an “oral dissent” in October.

As the council retreads the same ground it went over in October, an exasperated Kingston asks, “Did we come here for nothing? . . . Let’s go home.”

The discussion continues: just listen to heard McNamara hold forth. We edited the audio, going forward White Earth's consultant Chris Knopf testify, describing the shared system of tribal and non-tribal hunting and fishing regulations. anderson considers this system to be “racially discriminatory.”

Knopf patiently explains that White Earth Nation and the other bands had all the property rights at the time of settlement of Minnesota ceding some these rights through the treaty process, but retaining other rights relating to hunting and fishing result in the shared system. It's worth a listen to understand the legal issues.

As we noted, the proposal is in the draft bill. Will McNamara try to kill the proposal yet again? He tenacious that way, though that tenacity seems all out of proportion when it comes to this project.

Oct 27, 2015

Bluestem looks forward to enlightenment each weekday from the Minnesota 7th Congressional District Republican Party's Facebook page and since it's Tuesday, we're not disappointed.

As the screenshot at the top of this post indicates, the social media maven running the official Facebook page of the Republican Party for Minnesota's Seventh Congressional district is deeply distressed that Halloween is banned in Connecticut because Muslims:

We suppose that's frightening, but as we searched for the truth about this new atrocity, we simply learned that the Republicans in Minnesota's Seventh Congressional District is as concerned with finding the truth about the scary story as they are in finding someone to run against Blue Dog Democrat Collin Peterson.

In the 7th District, Republicans love to target DFL Rep. Collin Peterson. He represents a sprawling western Minnesota district that Mitt Romney carried by 10 points in 2012 and Arizona Sen. John McCain won by 4 points in 2008 in the last two presidential races.

Republicans thought they had a quality challenger to Peterson last cycle, but the congressman easily defeated state Rep. Torrey Westrom, 54 percent to 46 percent, even though it was a terrible year for Democrats.

The GOP lean of the district should make Peterson vulnerable, but he has proven to be a formidable incumbent and Republicans have yet to unearth a top-tier challenger, or any challenger at all. The seat will be a top takeover opportunity once Peterson retires, but for now, we’re changing the Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report/Roll Call rating from Democrat Favored to Safe for Democrats.

With Torrey Westrom refraining from fundraising, there's not just the absence of a top-tier candidate, there's no Republican candidate at all.

Halloween - unless one’s religion deems it satanic, sinful and worthy of godly condemnation - conjures images of carefree children dressed as witches, goblins, or Elsa from “Frozen,” skipping down sidewalks amid the rustle of fall leaves, rushing to the next house where, if luck holds, a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup instead of a packet of dried-out raisins awaits.

Last week, elementary schools in the city of 52,000 that tried to limit celebration of the holiday to protect those who might not wish to participate faced accusations that they were trying to ban Halloween. As a result, they’ve walked the restrictions back - under protest. . . .

This is not the first time a Halloween grinch has visited Milford. About a decade ago, the issue came up when Bishop Jay Ramirez of the city’s Kingdom Life Christian Church spoke out against the holiday, asking why witches were allowed when religious celebrations were verboten. (Ironically, Halloween has Celtic roots, but also a definitive Christian influence.)

“We are adding our voice to the many,” Ramirez said in 2004. “We have a responsibility to share God’s point of view and provide a light that others can follow. Milford claims to be tolerant until you say something they don’t agree with.” . . .

So the Halloween Parades are back on in one school district, while trick or treating will go on as normal in Connecticut. Boo!

Bluestem is pleased to see Comrade Peterson bring our state representative into the manly activities of robust agrarian socialism like pheasant and duck hunting. District residents had expressed concern upon seeing Miller's suburban karaoke bromance with state senator Dave Thompson posted to Facebook:

This will be a forever memory of Dave Thompson singing "God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy". I want to make fun of him but he was too good at karaoke and too great a friend. Thankful to know him. Blessed to know him. Thanks for joining us Quinn Cheney, one of my newest friends.

In the Seventh, Peterson handily won his seat in 2014, even though national GOP groups pumped $8 million into the race to try and portray the congressman as a creature of Washington. No Republican has stepped up so far to run against Peterson next year.

Perhaps they're too eager to join collective hunting parties.

Photos: Screengrabs from Facebook.

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At 4:00pm, the Lt. Governor and the Nicollet Conservation Club will take a guided boat tour of Swan Lake, the largest prairie pothole marsh in the contiguous United States.

It's good to see the lake valued and we hope Smith enjoys the tour.

Back in the early 1970s, the shallow prairie lake was a candidate for becoming the cooling pond for a coal-fired power plant. In 2013, the New Ulm Journal reported in Swan Lake meeting draws a crowd:

A roomful of outdoors enthusiasts energetically told of their past and present experiences on Swan Lake at the Nicollet Conservation Club on Tuesday.

Hosted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Nicollet County Historical Society (NHS), the event about one of the largest prairie pothole lakes in the lower 48 states included a wide array of information and story telling by DNR and NHS officials as well as area sports enthusiasts.

Once twice the size it is now, Swan Lake was Minnesota's largest marsh-wetland ecosystem before it was drained for more farmland decades ago. . . .

Swan Lake's water level is more stable than many other area lakes and sloughs. It's well vegetated," said Stein Innvaer of the Nicollet DNR office. "Northern States Power (NSP) was going to build a coal-fired power plant on the lake once.

[David Vesall, assistant game and fish director] and other officials of the DNR met with the Governor's Task Force on Power Plant Siting to explain the department's position on designation of the Lake. Swan Lake is one of seven sites proposed for development by Northern States Power Co. of a 1,600-megawatt fossil burning power plant.

It's possible, then, that Nicollet County could have going through the turmoil facing Sherburne County, rather than the tour today, had the fool-hardy choice to turn a duck-factory into an industrial site gone forward.

What will happen in Becker as the two coal-fired units are phased out? Two Republican lawmakers fretted about that, but others, including an owner of a construction company, pointed out that clean energy also creates jobs.

. . . In 2023, Sherco Unit 2 will be shut down. In 2026, Sherco Unit 1 will be shut down and subsequently, Sherco Unit 2 will be converted to natural gas that same year.

Sherco’s larger, newer Unit 3, which has more modern pollution controls, would continue burning coal.

Xcel Energy said they are committed to continue to provide high pressure steam to Liberty Paper in Becker.

Newberger says the shutting down of Units 1 & 2 will eliminate about 150 full-time jobs.

“Xcel has informed me that many of these job eliminations will be by attrition and retirement,” Newberger said. “The rest will be reassigned to other areas within Xcel.”

Newberger also said he was relieved at the news that the currently employed will be able to remain employed if they do not retire.

“I am also relieved that creating a new gas plant will ensure some form of property tax base for the City of Becker,” he said.

But his frustration over the situation is still palpable.

“However, the fact remains that these 150 jobs will not be replaced with new workers as they would be if the plant were to continue its normal operation,” he said. “That means 150 fewer good-paying job opportunities for families in our area. The economic impact will be a staggering blow to Central Minnesota.” . ..

We'll be hearing a lot about those 150 local jobs at Xcel Energy, which will slowly be phased out as the workers filling them retire or move on to other opportunities as we move toward the shutdowns in 2023 and 2026.

We have to wonder, however, that Becker and Sherburne County might have something to dangle for companies looking to locate in Greater Minnesota. Skilled workers, quality housing, access to a freeway (and Highway 10), along with proximity to St. Cloud, the western suburbs, as well as natural amenities like the Mississippi River, the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, Sand Dune State Forest: all of these are assets.

Change is difficult--but part of leadership is to direct resources to toward the opportunities offered by it, rather than to exhaust resources and emotion in a rear-guard action against it.